October 2010 - Issue 32

Compliance targets achieved for 2009-10!

The DS NMDS Team would like to thank everybody who provided data for the 2009-10 collection year. Almost 100 per cent compliance was achieved, which was a fantastic effort!

Important information concerning changes to 2010-11 DS NMDS reporting requirements

All service types (*see below)

Please note that these requirements must be met by all service providers for all quarters in 2010-11 (please refer to article on Commercial software p2). The transition to outputs based service agreements may also require other data items.

All service providers now need to report:

• first and last names of service users

• DISQIS/BIS client ID (if available)

• full residential address

• the informal carer’s date of birth (estimate may be used in the format 0101yyyy; please note that the year is used for reporting the carer age group to the AIHW)

• service user hours of services received in the reference week

• service user total actual hours of services received in the quarter.

No changes are required for Advocacy, Information and alternative forms of communication (6.01 – 6.05) and Other support (7.01 – 7.04).

*Accommodation Support and Community Support

In addition to existing NMDS requirements service providers who are reporting any Accommodation Support or Community Support service type must also provide:

• service user hours of services received in the reference week
• service user total actual hours of services received in the quarter.

There has been no change in the reporting requirements for the following service types – they do not have to report hours of services received:

Service type classification
1.01	Large residential/institution (>20 people) - 24 hour care
1.02	Small residential/institution (<20 people) - 24 hour care
1.041	Group homes (<7 places) - with financial/residential control
1.042	Group homes (<7 places) - without financial/residential control

 

Please refer to Section 3 of the DS NMDS Data Guide 2010-11 Queensland Edition available online.

*Recreational/Holiday programs (service type 3.02)

Following the transition to outputs based service agreements, service providers who are reporting recreation/holiday programs are now required to provide:

• first and last names of service users
• DISQIS/BIS client ID (if available)
• service user date of birth
• service user sex
• service user hours of services received in the reference week
• service user total actual hours of services received in the quarter.

No further information for service users is required for this service type.

Commercial software & In-house systems

Service providers who use systems other than ODC or paper forms have been advised separately of technical requirements and submission processes for the DS NMDS.

Transition arrangements

Your Community Resource Officer will contact relevant service providers at specific times during the 2010-11 collection year to organise other requirements for the transition to outputs based service agreements.

Further information regarding outputs reporting is available:

Email: poq@communities.qld.gov.au

Online:  http://www.communities.qld.gov.au/disability/key-projects/funding-for-output-based-service-provision

Reporting a ‘place’ (instance of service)

Service types affected

 

Accommodation	1.01, 1.02, 1.041, 1.042 & 1.07
Respite	4.021 & 4.031

Service types 1.07, 4.021 and 4.031 must still report hours.

Instances of service

Service types required to report places should record each instance of service provided during the quarter.

The Online Data Collection (ODC) will automatically recognise these service types and prompt a service provider to enter a service start date, service end date and add a new instance of service.

Please refer to the PDF of this Newsletter for an example.

Paper users are prompted in question 17.

Please refer to the PDF of this Newsletter for an example.

Users of other commercial software or in-house systems have been advised separately of requirements.

Output Measures

Please refer to the document Guidelines for quantifying outputs (RTF, 11 KB) which is available online.

Clarification of service user hours received

Remember, service user hours should only include the direct support provided to the service user. And if a service user receives multiple service types, e.g. 1.06 - In-home accommodation support and 3.01 - Learning and life skills, the reportable hours should be apportioned accordingly.

Also, administration and travel time should not be included when reporting services received hours. (*See below.) Any administration time, staff meetings, staff training etc, should be reported as staff hours in the service type outlet section of ODC for online users (items 5 & 6), service type outlet

form for paper users (questions 5 & 6) or in the appropriate file for other users.

Example:

A client receives 25 hours of 3.01 - Learning and life skills development - over a quarter, 5 of which were in the 7 day reference week.

Hours received – please indicate the number of hours of support received by the service user for this NDA service type outlet:

17e In the 7-day reference week preceding the end of the quarterly reporting period.

5

17f Total actual hours of service received for the quarter.

25

*2.06 - Case management is the exception to this rule. If your service is funded to provide case management it is important to capture all administration time directly linked to a service user, e.g. assessments, case meetings, phone calls etc. If case management meetings involve a number of clients, split or apportion the hours against each.

For a complete overview in determining service user services received hours, please refer to your DS NMDS Data Guide, Section 5.17.

Staff hours

We need service providers to capture all hours worked in providing a service – this can include committee and board meetings, both management and administration, cleaners, sleep-overs, on-call and overtime, etc (refer to DS NMDS Data Guide, Sections 4.5 and 4.6).

If you have staff working overtime or on-call without pay, include this in the unpaid staff hours. Unpaid staff hours should not just capture volunteer work, it should capture any unpaid hours that contribute to the running of the service.

Funding

It is imperative that ALL Disability Services funding is reported to the NMDS. This includes any partial, non-recurrent or one off funding.

If you received additional funding this financial year and do not have the appropriate service type outlets open for reporting, please get in touch with your local Regional Support Officer as soon as possible.

Reporting responsibility

The service provider that receives funding from Disability and Community Care Services, Department of Communities, is responsible for all reporting for the DS NMDS.

Previous advice relating to sub-contracting or brokerage arrangements for this reporting no longer applies.

Annual housekeeping

Service user demographics

Please ensure that service user details are kept up to date. A suggested practice by some Service Providers is to have a hard copy of the Service User form completed by staff once per year as an annual record check of all client details.

Service provider contact details

A reminder to all service providers to update your contact details with the DS NMDS Team in the event of moving premises, changing phone details and/ or email address. This will ensure Regional Support Officers are able to respond to your concerns quickly and efficiently and also enable you to continue to receive updated information from the DS NMDS Team. Please contact your Regional Support Officer with any updates.

ODC users – staff log-ins

Please ensure that all users of the Online Data Collection system (ODC) are staff in your organisation. Your ODC System Administrator or your Regional Support Officer can update staff members’ log-in details on the system.

Change of purpose means change of reporting

FNGSPs sometimes apply to change the purpose of underspent funding to another type of service. If this is approved, this service provision must be reported under the new service type code. If you do not have the appropriate outlet open for reporting, a simple call to your Regional Support Officer will get the appropriate paperwork underway. Once a Change of details form is completed and signed by your Community Resource Officer, the DS NMDS Team can have the new outlet up and running within one to two days.

Building Supportive Communities

Service providers who have received Building Supportive Communities funding will have received their forms in the mail by now. Service providers using ODC will have to select the new outlet to enable them to report this funding.

Send completed forms to:

DS NMDS Team

Evidence, Reporting and Performance

Disability and Community Care Services

Department of Communities

Level 3A

75 William Street

GPO Box 806

Brisbane QLD 4001

Staff changes

The DS NMDS Team welcomes Jamie McMaster as an additional Regional Support Officer. He is based in Rockhampton and has just joined the team.

Help available

Enquiries

Email: cstdanmdshelp@disability.qld.gov.au

Online: http://www.disability.qld.gov.au/ds-nmds/

Regional Support Officers

Karen Eborall 0403 209 437 M

karen.eborall@communities.qld.gov.au

Chris Hemingway 0403 209 436 M

christopher.hemingway@communities.qld.gov.au

Jamie MacMaster 07 4938 6061 W

jamie.macmaster@communities.qld.gov.au

Lindy O’Neill 0434 604 844 M

melinda.oneill@communities.qld.gov.au

Juanita White 0403 209 434 M

juanita.white3@communities.qld.gov.au

Initial support for changes in reporting requirements

It may be possible for the DS NMDS team to provide technical assistance uploading data into ODC.

For this type of help please contact Aaron Key, Project Manager, DS NMDS Team, email aaron.key@communities.qld.gov.au, alternatively contact your Regional Support Officer.

Training and support

Regional Support Officers are available to provide DS NMDS support and assistance to all NDA funded organisations.

If you have recently had staff changes, or if you are interested in brushing up on your DS NMDS reporting skills, then please contact your Regional Support Officer to organise a training session at a time convenient for you.

• Regional Support Officers are available to facilitate local training and capacity building activities to enhance reporting practices, compliance and data quality.

• We can provide DS NMDS or ODC training individually, or in a group situation, at a time and place to suit you.

Diary dates for 2010-11

Quarter	Start Date	End Date	Reference Week	Due Date
1	01-Jul-10	30-Sep-10	24-30 Sep 2010	15-Oct-10
2	01-Oct-10	31-Dec-10	25-31 Dec 2010	15-Jan-11
3	01-Jan-11	31-Mar-11	25-31 Mar 2011	15-Apr-11
4	01-Apr-11	30-Jun-11	24-30 Jun 2011	15-Jul-11

Disability Statistics

DS NMDS data is available for your use, ie the use of agencies and local communities. The Queensland Government's Community Services Information System (COMSIS) has a range of disability data from the 2006 census. The regional disability statistics available on COMSIS will be greatly increased with the roll-out of Queensland DS NMDS data expected in the near future.

To find out more and register, please go to https://statistics.oesr.qld.gov.au/comsis online.

For more information contact the DS NMDS Team.